The air inside the ancient Buddha Monastery was heavy with incense smoke, the scent sharp yet strangely calming. Golden statues of Lord Buddha shimmered faintly under the dim light of hanging lanterns, their serene faces in stark contrast to the storm of fear that raged inside Kin and Vixen's hearts.
Gently, almost reverently, they laid Shen down before the grand statue of Lord Buddha. His body felt lifeless, skin pale, as though something far darker than death lingered inside him.
Kin's hands trembled as he knelt on the cold stone floor. His voice broke as he whispered a prayer.
"Please… please save him… Lord Buddha, don't take my friend away from me…"
Tears streamed down his face until they blurred his vision completely. His sobs echoed in the silent hall like a wound that refused to close.
Vixen, standing beside him, clenched his jaw and placed a firm hand on Kin's shoulder. His voice was low but steady.
"Kin… please. Don't cry. I swear, I'll do everything in my power to bring Shen back. I will not let him be taken by that thing."
Kin looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, but Vixen had already turned away, determination sharpening his gaze.
"Wait here," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm going to find the monk."
Without another word, Vixen strode down the long, dim corridors of the monastery, his boots echoing against the stone. The monastery was like a maze — narrow passageways, towering prayer wheels, and walls lined with faded murals of forgotten battles between light and darkness.
It took him a long time to find the secluded chamber. Inside, the monk sat cross-legged, eyes closed, deep in meditation. The soft hum of his mantra seemed to vibrate through the air, each word older than time itself.
Vixen didn't dare disturb him. Instead, he waited quietly outside, hands curling into fists. Every heartbeat felt like an eternity.
Finally, the monk's eyes opened — sharp, knowing, as if they had already seen Vixen's face in the pages of fate.
"I knew you would come," the monk said in a voice that was calm, yet carried weight. "You are worried for your friend."
"Yes," Vixen stepped inside, his voice dropping into a desperate plea. "Please… help us. Shen's soul is under attack. I can feel it. We can't lose him."
The monk studied him for a moment before nodding slowly.
"I will help. But you must understand… saving him will not be easy."
"I don't care how hard it is," Vixen's voice cracked, the military composure slipping for a moment. "Just… tell me what I need to do."
The monk leaned forward slightly, his tone taking on a strange, almost solemn urgency.
"You have a soul partner… don't you?"
Vixen froze. "Yes."
"That person is in grave danger as well," the monk continued. "If you wish to stand a chance against the Devil that hunts you… you must marry your soul partner. Soon. Very soon."
Vixen blinked, taken aback. "Marriage?"
The monk's eyes narrowed slightly, his voice turning into an unyielding command.
"When you are bound to your soul partner in such a sacred union, your combined Divine Pheromone Power will grow… stronger than you can imagine. Strong enough to face the Devil without fear. And the closer — the more intimate — you and your partner become, the greater that power will be."
Vixen's pulse quickened, a storm brewing behind his steady façade.
The monk wasn't done. His voice dropped to a whisper, almost like a secret too dangerous to speak aloud.
"And when you have a child… that child will be born with the purest, most potent divine pheromones. A weapon the Devil can never touch."
Vixen stood silent, the monk's words thundering in his mind. Finally, he straightened, resolve burning in his eyes.
"I'll ask my lover. Once we agree… fix the date. We'll marry, no matter what it takes."
The monk gave a slow, approving nod. "Then go. The clock is already ticking."
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